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Background: New generation PET/CT devices provide quality images using low radiopharmaceutical activities. Dose monitoring is carried out for nuclear medicine personnel, other health personnel, and companions by determining the radiation dose emitted from low-activity patients to the environment. In particular, it is necessary to revise the working conditions of the personnel according to the radiation dose exposed., Aim: It was aimed to reevaluate the radiation dose rate transmitted to the environment from patients injected with 18 F-FDG., Materials and Methods: A total of 31 patients (14F, 17M) who underwent 18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging were included. The mean 18 F-FDG activity of 7.26 ± 1.29 mCi was used for injection. After injection, radiation dose rates (mR/h) were measured at distances of 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200cm for 3 different periods from the level of the head, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis by using a GM counter. Additionally, biological samples such as urine and sweat were taken during 3 different periods. The activity amounts (μCi) in the samples were measured with a well-type counter., Results: Strong correlations were calculated between normalized dose rates obtained by all regions and time. Considering the nuclear medicine staff handling time with a PET/CT patient, the average dose received by staff was calculated between a range of 0.002-0.004 mSv/pt. The radiation dose exposed to the porter and nurse was calculated as 0.049 mSv/pt for the 2 nd hour and 0.001-0.007 mSv/pt for the 4 th hour, respectively. The companion was exposed to a dose between 0.073-0.147 mSv and 0.024-0.048 mSv for public transport and private car transportation after 4-6 hours of injection (for 30-60 min of travel duration), respectively. For inpatients, the received dose for porters, serving 20min from a distance of 30cm for the 2 nd and 4 th hours after the PET/CT scan, was 0.049 mSv/pt and 0.048 mSv/pt, respectively. And for nurses serving from a 50cm distance between 1-5 minutes, these values were found to be 0.001-0.007mSv/pt, 0.001-0.007mSv/pt, and 0.001-0.006mSv/pt, respectively., Conclusion: The radiation dose of nuclear medicine staff, porters, nurses, and companions are found to be below the recommended dose limit by the ICRP. According to our results, there is no need for any restrictions for patients, companions, or healthcare personnel in PET/CT units., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background : This cohort study investigated the role of the active matrix metalloproteinase-8 (aMMP-8) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as oral fluid biomarkers for monitoring the periodontal degeneration occurring in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients treated by radiotherapy. Research design and methods : Eleven patients, aged 28-74, diagnosed with HNC were included in the study. Complete periodontal and oral examinations were performed pre-radiotherapy and 1 month after radiotherapy. Mouthrinse samples (pre-radiotherapy, after 6 weeks of radiotherapy and 1 month after radiotherapy) were assayed by aMMP-8 point-of-care-kit (PerioSafe®/ORALyzer®) for aMMP-8 and ELISA for IL-6. Results : HNC radiotherapy had a deteriorating impact on the periodontium and a significant impact on periodontal biomarkers aMMP-8 and IL-6 and increased their levels in mouthrinse. Clinical-attachment-loss (CAL) (site of greatest loss: mean = 1.7 mm, range = 1-3 mm) corresponding to rapid progression of periodontitis. There was a positive repeated measures correlation (rmcorr = 0.667) between the aMMP-8 and IL-6 levels. Conclusions : Elevated aMMP-8 levels were observed 1 month after radiotherapy among some HNC patients suggesting a prolonged increased susceptibility to further periodontal tissue destruction. Currently available aMMP-8 point-of-care testing could be useful to monitor and assess quantitatively online and real-time the risk of deterioration of periodontal health during HNC radiotherapy.

Background: Peptide-based agents are used in molecular imaging due to their unique properties, such as rapid clearance from the circulation, high affinity and target selectivity. Many of the radiolabeled peptides have been clinically experienced with diagnostic accuracy. The aim of this study was to investigate in vivo biological behavior of [ 99m Tc(CO) 3 (H 2 O) 3 ]+ radiolabeled glycylglycine (GlyGly)., Methods: Glycylglycine was radiolabeled with a high radiolabeling yield of 94.69±2%, and quality control of the radiolabeling process was performed by thin layer radiochromatography (TLRC) and High-Performance Liquid Radiochromatography (HPLRC). Lipophilicity study for radiolabeled complex ( 99m Tc(CO) 3 -Gly-Gly) was carried out using solvent extraction. The in vivo evaluation was performed by both biodistribution and SPECT imaging., Results: The high radiolabelling yield of 99m Tc(CO) 3 -GlyGly was obtained and verified by TLRC and HPLRC as well. According to the in vivo results, SPECT images and biodistribution data are in good accordance. The excretion route from the body was both hepatobiliary and renal., Conclusion: This study shows that 99m Tc(CO) 3 -GlyGly has the potential to be used as a peptide-based imaging agent. Further studies, 99m Tc(CO) 3 -GlyGly can be performed on tumor-bearing animals., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)